ROCK A Dark New Day dawns in Youngstown's Cellar

The band comes to The Cellar on Friday. It's a Dark New Day for five musician friends who on their way to rock'n'roll superstardom found themselves cast along the roadside with varying degrees of success and fame. Having decided the dream wasn't exactly over, just delayed, the quintet -- comprised of former members of Sevendust, Stereomud and Skrape, along with a touring member of Creed -- recently released its debut album "Twelve Year Silence." Oddly enough, or perhaps because of, the album's lead single "Brother" is catering directly to the rock radio fan who just years ago was wearing a Creed T-shirt with their arms wide open. If the initial radio interest of "Brother" is any indication, Dark New Day could be in store for a bright green future. From the purist place "We didn't get this band together for that reason," said singer/guitarist Brett Hestla calling from a tour stop in Columbia, Missouri. "We just decided to start recording some songs to just see what would happen. We weren't really planning on shopping it for a deal. It was just like getting together. And everything business-wise came after that so for it to be doing well commercially is just a real blessing. It came from the purist of places and I think that kind of came through in the recording." What the members of Dark New Day lack in mainstream success or lasting influence, they gain in experience. From years of touring to countless business deals and band dynamics, the members aren't so much rookies as seasoned veterans getting one more call up to the big leagues. For Hestla, it's something completely different. He's been to the mountain and witnessed the prize all bands seek: mainstream rock'n'roll superstardom. As a touring bassist with Creed for three years, the musician lived a double life. While he enjoyed the trappings of arena rock star success, he longed for a band of his own doing. Still, Hestla misses the post-grunge rock act. Rock'n'roll loss "I'm more sad that rock'n'roll lost that band," Hestla said. "Without getting into the details of what was happening, I'm sad that they couldn't have lasted a long time. They did a lot of good for the rock industry. People were going to rock shows to see Creed. Right now Creed is the band that everybody loves to hate but 30 million records went somewhere, bought by somebody out there." For the members of Dark New Day, its debut, released earlier this week, is finally in stores with its future bent on touring, touring and more touring. Currently opening for Seether, the band pulls into Youngstown on Friday for its own headlining show at The Cellar. Armed with what it feels are radio-friendly rock tracks that combine the obligatory influences of Led Zeppelin and Alice in Chains, Dark New Day appears to be a mini super group of sorts that already has a foundation to its credit. "Everybody is super proud of their accomplishments that they made in the past," Hestla said. "You can't look back on that with any kind of bad feelings. That we all got another opportunity is the real amazing thing. That's why we feel blessed. We're just not starting out and making our name. We get another shot when it's hard just to get one."